The full-service access network (FSAN) standard allows a service provider to supply communication services to a building, including, for example, voice, video and data services, via an optical fiber. The FSAN standard is set forth, for example, in International Telecommunication Union-Telecommunication (ITU-T) Recommendation G.983.1, entitled Broadband Optical Access Systems Based on Passive Optical Networks (PON), October 1998, and amendments made thereto, which are incorporated herein by reference. A device located external to the building generally converts the optical signals carried over the optical fiber to standard voice, data and CATV signals. Most buildings today are already equipped with coaxial cable and/or other wiring. Although it would be desirable to provide wireless local area networking services, such as wireless communication via an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standard, to the building via this service, the location of the external device is typically not suitable for radio frequency (RE) transmission of 802.11 signals into the building. This may be due, for instance, to the materials constituting the walls of the building, the proximity of the point of use inside the building, which may be referred to as a station, to the exterior access point, etc.
The IEEE 802.11 standard addresses medium access control over a wireless local area network (WLAN). The IEEE 802.11 standard is set forth in the document IEEE Std. 802.11, entitled Supplement to IEEE Standard for Information Technology-Telecommunications and Information Exchange Between Systems-Local Metropolitan Area Networks-Specific Requirements-Part 11: Wireless LAN Medium Access Control (MAC) and Physical Layer (PHY) Specifications, 1999 Edition, which is incorporated herein by reference. Additional extensions relating to the 802.11 standard, including IEEE Std. 802.11a, entitled High Speed Physical Layer in the 5 GHz Band, November 1999, IEEE Std. 802.11b, entitled Higher Speed Physical Layer (PHY) Extension in the 2.4 GHz Band, February 2000, and IEEE Std. 802.11g, entitled Further Higher Data Rate Extension in the 2.4 GHz Band, September 2000, are also incorporated herein by reference. Conventionally, two separate physical cables are employed to transfer CATV signals and wireless networking signals to a television and WLAN device, respectively, inside the building. However, there is a considerable cost disadvantage to this approach, primarily due to the requirement of installing additional wiring at the building site to support the wireless networking services.
There is a need, therefore, for improved techniques for establishing wireless networking at a desired location without the need for providing additional wiring at the location.